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Burnley are already looking to sign a Championship star this summer ahead of promotion rivals Sheffield United, according to a new update.

Burnley on course for Championship promotion under Parker

The Clarets are in a hugely strong position to win promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, with Scott Parker’s side second in the Championship and five points clear of the Blades in third.

Championship run-in

Leeds (88 pts)

Sheffield United (83 pts)

Burnley (88 pts)

Oxford United (a)

Cardiff City (h)

Watford (a)

Stoke City (h)

Burnley (a)

Sheffield United (h)

Bristol City (h)

Stoke City (a)

QPR (a)

Plymouth Argyle (a)

Blackburn Rovers (h)

Millwall (h)

Parker’s side have been brilliant in defence which has laid the promotion platform, conceding just 13 times in 42 games.

Burnley set the pace last Friday with a 2-1 win over Norwich City after goals from Hannibal Mejbri and Jaidon Anthony. Leeds also won 2-1 at home to Preston North End, however, Chris Wilder’s side lost 2-1 against Plymouth Argyle.

As a result, should Burnley win at Watford on Friday, a victory at Turf Moor against Sheffield United on Monday would guarantee promotion.

Owner Alan Pace could back Parker in the transfer market if Burnley go up, and by the looks of things, a new target from the second tier has emerged.

Burnley looking to sign £10m Championship star ahead of Sheffield United

According to reporter Graeme Bailey for EFL Analysis, Burnley are one of five clubs interested in signing Stoke City attacker Million Manhoef.

As well as the Clarets, rivals Sheffield United are also interested in the winger along with Scottish giants Celtic and Belgian duo Genk and Club Brugge.

The Potters are looking for £10m to sell Manhoef this summer after spending just £3m on his services last January.

The 23-year-old, who mainly plays as a right-winger, is into double figures for goal contributions in 2024/25 and is under contract with Stoke until 2027.

Manhoef’s stats 2024/25

Games

35

Goals

6

Assists

4

Minutes played

2,389

Manhoef was also praised by former manager Steven Schumacher last year, who described the attacker as a player who can make things happen.

“We expected him to take time to settle in, but since he’s got here, he’s been really positive. He’s shown what he can do, his ability that he’s got, and getting a goal like he got on Saturday will only do his confidence the world of good.

“We needed that type of player who can run towards the goal, take people on, get shots away and create for the team, so I’m not overly surprised that he’s starting to do that now. Like all players though, he’ll thrive off confidence. He thrives off belief and a run of games. Getting up to the speed and the intensity of the Championship is going to be key for him.”

Should Burnley win the race for Manhoef, he may rival loanee Marcus Edwards for a spot on the right-hand side, providing the Clarets go up and exercise their option to make Edwards’ move permanent.

The 25-year-old has impressed some of West Indies’ greats but is still looking for his first half-century after nine Test innings

Alan Gardner17-Jul-2024There is something about Alick Athanaze. Something that led the great Brian Lara to describe Athanaze, his successor at No. 4 in West Indies’ Test line-up, as the “most talented” batter in the current team. Something that caught the eye of Ian Bishop, prompting him to say Athanaze “could be a leading light in years to come” after he made 47 on debut against India last year.Something that was spotted by Graham Gooch, at the time England’s batting coach, when a 14-year-old Athanaze made his first trip to England, playing for Barking and the Essex academy.For Athanaze, the top-scorer at the Under-19 World Cup 2018, his future as the anointed linchpin of West Indian batting has been both a long time coming and something that has happened all in a rush. His international debut came in an ODI in the UAE in June 2023, since when he has been capped in all three formats. And if the praise for his stylish approach has flowed, it hasn’t yet been backed by the weight of runs.Related

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After five Test appearances, Athanaze is still to make a half-century; that 47 on his home ground in Dominica remains his highest score. Yet he stood out once again, albeit in reduced circumstances, as West Indies fell to an innings defeat at Lord’s to begin their tour of England – whether through the timing of back-to-back drives off Gus Atkinson, or during a compelling mini-duel with James Anderson in the second innings, at the end of which Athanaze became the England man’s 703rd Test wicket.No one scored more in the match for West Indies than Athanaze’s 45 – though that in itself highlighted a problem for the tourists, with several batters showing fight but none going on to produce a substantial score.”It felt good getting in and getting through the tough period, but obviously as a player you feel disappointed that you actually got in and then didn’t carry on,” Athanaze tells ESPNcricinfo.”It was quite challenging [facing Anderson]. He obviously knows the ground, knows the conditions well. It was quite challenging coming from the Caribbean and facing that sort of spell when the ball is doing a lot, and the lights were on as well. A lot was in his favour but it was good. I may not have loved getting out but he is a quality bowler and I was definitely not his first.”Alick Athanaze on facing James Anderson: “It was quite challenging”•Getty ImagesLike many of his team-mates in an inexperienced batting line-up, Athanaze is learning on the job – but he carries an extra burden on his slender shoulders. Not that he seems too weighed down by it all, as he smiles and answers questions while pulling apart an orange seated in the shade of the Bridgeford Road Stand at Trent Bridge, venue for the second Test.”It fills you with confidence, obviously, but there is some sort of pressure when you have these legends looking up to you and knowing you could do well, and obviously I didn’t get the start that I wanted to get,” he says.”It felt like a lot of pressure. But I look at life differently. In cricket, a lot of the time batters fail more than they succeed. I haven’t got the start that I wanted to on this stage, but I’m being honest in myself, I’m working hard, trying my best to get better, and trying to look at the one-percenters. I try my best to block off the outside noise and focus on my game. I’m happy that they look at me that way but it’s really about me trying to get better and performing.”That is the challenge for me, mentally, trying my best to stay within my game and not looking at the expectations of people outside.”

“That is always the goal, I really want that Test hundred. Sometimes I think I try too hard, but that comes with learning on the job. But I would really love a Test hundred.”Alick Athanaze

As Lara said before the start of the tour, West Indies need Athanaze to “jump a couple of steps very quickly” and start churning out big runs before he has got used to life at the highest level (and this is while trying to juggle three formats, having only made his T20 debut in last year’s CPL). “I haven’t done as well as I’ve wanted to, definitely in the Test arena,” Athanaze admits. But with two more Tests to come in England, there is one thing firmly in his sights.”That is always the goal, I really want that Test hundred. Sometimes I think I try too hard, but that comes with learning on the job. But I would really love a Test hundred. Getting through tough periods and batting, sometimes it’s not really about the runs – it’s about me getting through tough periods mentally. That is what I’m looking for on this tour.”And what has he learned about his red-ball game almost exactly a year on from Test debut? “That the name is definitely worth it: Test cricket. It has been a test. Some people say, play your game but normally you have to be a lot more disciplined than the one-day game. What I’ve learned about Tests is you have a lot more time than you think, [but] also bowlers have a lot more time to work you out. So probably be a bit more disciplined, and try to learn as quickly as you can. And obviously enjoy the game.”Alick Athanaze made his T20 debut at the CPL last year•CPL T20 via Getty ImagesAthanaze’s link to England comes via his coach back home, Sam Kirnon, who played county cricket for Glamorgan and then in the club game with Chingford, where Dan Lawrence, currently the spare batter in England’s squad, grew up (Athanaze has never been to Chingford but does know Lawrence). He credits Kirnon with opening his eyes to the technical and tactical side of the game, and has demonstrated his leadership potential with Windward Islands, where he was made captain at 24.”I enjoy captaincy, responsibility brings out the best in me,” he says. “I consider myself a good leader, because whenever I play I tend to look at how I can get the best out of players. I would consider myself a bubbly player, where I’m good with everybody, I chat with everybody. Normally I like to chat cricket with everybody. Captaincy has definitely lifted my game and allowed me to try to explore my game and get better.”Back when he was a 19-year-old, Athanaze spoke about wanting to help West Indies “get our standards back” in Test cricket. And while the environmental sciences degree that he also planned to do is for now on hold – “I started but then I broke into international cricket. It’s still there, I could always go back to doing it online” – his passion for resurrecting West Indies’ Test fortunes remains a driving force. Brian, Bish and the rest would doubtless approve.”I honestly think that Test cricket is the real deal. Nothing gets better than Test cricket. You play a T20 game and it’s over in a couple of hours, when you play Test cricket people will come and actually see how good of a player you are. I haven’t set the world on fire as yet but that is something I’m looking to do and we, as a group, that is our main goal. This team right here, you can see the hunger where we want to take the cricket back up.”

Issues with batting and bowling exposed by string of defeats to India and South Africa

Matt Roller31-Jul-2022By the time Jonny Bairstow top-edged his sweep off Keshav Maharaj out to David Miller at deep midwicket, confirming England’s joint-worst T20I defeat of all-time, the stands at the Ageas Bowl were half-empty. Supporters had given up on England’s hopes long before, preferring to beat the traffic and get home for the second half of the Euro 2022 final than watching a grim conclusion to a one-sided game.It was a moment that summed up England’s white-ball summer. Everything Bairstow has touched turned to gold this year but even he could not rescue them in the series decider, scrapping his way to an unusually scratchy 27 off 29 balls with only two boundaries, as wickets tumbled at the other end; he has scored at a higher strike rate in half of his Test innings this summer.Related

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There were even some boos during England’s run chase. “That’s the first time I’ve heard that for a very long time,” Jos Buttler said. “We’ve entertained crowds for a while – of course it’s disappointing to not put on a great show for them today. It was a bit of a reality check.” The biggest cheer of the evening came from the concourses, when Ella Toone put England 1-0 up at Wembley.Since Eoin Morgan stepped down as captain, England have won only four games and lost nine across ODI and T20I cricket; for the first time since 2013, they failed to win a home limited-overs series. They will not play another T20 international before selecting their squad for the T20 World Cup in mid-September and it is increasingly hard to see them lifting that trophy in Australia.England are not used to losing T20Is. Between June 2018 and July 2021, they won 10 of their 13 bilateral series and lost only two, but since the World Cup last year it has become a habit. They have lost all three of their T20I series and since beating Sri Lanka in Sharjah at last year’s World Cup, they have won four and lost nine.It is easy to blame England’s batters after a series of defeats, and several key players have struggled badly this summer. Most obviously, Jason Roy has been completely bereft of form or rhythm, but neither Buttler nor Liam Livingstone managed even 100 runs across the summer; only Moeen Ali, Bairstow and Dawid Malan hit half-centuries.Roy’s aggregate of 76 off 98 balls from six innings leaves him looking increasingly vulnerable, and he desperately needs a strong season in the Hundred to prove he is still worth his place in the side. His latest in a succession of slow trudges off came at the Ageas Bowl on Sunday after an innings of 17 off 18, four of which came through overthrows, and Phil Salt is waiting in the wings for an opportunity.

England’s real issue has been their bowling: South Africa’s total of 191 for 5 was the second-lowest total that England have conceded in their six T20Is this summer

“We never imposed ourselves,” Buttler said. “We never managed to put pressure back on the opposition and that timidness is the thing I’m frustrated with the most. As a team, we want to be renowned for being brave and taking risks. We haven’t performed as we’d have liked with the bat through the summer, so maybe the confidence takes a bit of a dent in those situations.”But England’s real issue has been their bowling: remarkably, South Africa’s total of 191 for 5 was the second-lowest total that England have conceded in their six T20Is this summer. Clearly, their batters have struggled, but they have regularly been chasing enormous targets which have demanded attacking shots from the outset.At various points over the last two years, England have struggled to take wickets with the new ball and to contain at the death, but this summer they have been uncharacteristically impotent in the middle overs, taking only 14 wickets while leaking 10.2 runs an over between the start of the 7th over and the end of the 16th.Their spinners have conceded 11.5 runs per over across their six games, and their seamers’ plans have often been overly defensive: when Sam Curran was bowling cutters into the pitch from around the wicket, his only job seemed to be controlling the rate against a South Africa side who were happy to consolidate before launching at the back end.”We haven’t managed to take wickets as much as we would have liked in those phases,” Buttler admitted. “Breaking partnerships is a big part of controlling the rate in white-ball cricket. That’s where as a captain, you reflect on what you could have done better.”Clearly, injuries have been a major issue. Jofra Archer, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Olly Stone, Saqib Mahmood and Tom Curran have all missed the entirety of the white-ball summer, while Tymal Mills’ toe injury ruled him out of the South Africa series. Chris Jordan, Richard Gleeson, David Willey and Reece Topley have shown glimpses, but nobody conceded less than eight runs an over across the summer.And there is no guarantee that any of the names on their lengthy injury list will be fully fit when England name their World Cup squad. “You’ve got who’s available,” Buttler said. “Injuries are part and parcel of the game. You’ve got to be excited about the guys you have around and they have put in some performances.”Strange things can happen in T20 World Cups: Australia spent the build-up to their 2021 triumph losing to Bangladesh and West Indies and were hammered by England at the tournament itself, before a streak of four wins in a row won them the title. It would be foolish to rule out England doing the same – but as Miller settled underneath the catch that sealed South Africa’s win, it was difficult to envisage.

Newcastle United needed that. Though form in the Premier League continues to frustrate Eddie Howe and those of a Toon persuasion, there’s no denying his side on their return to the Champions League.

Jose Mourinho’s Benfica were defeated 3-0 at St. James’ Park on Tuesday evening, making it two wins on the bounce in Europe’s elite competition after that opening-day defeat at the hands of Barcelona.

This was the kind of display the Magpies need to harness and carry back over to their domestic efforts, struggling for consistency in the Premier League right now.

But if anything, it’s nights like these that remind the fanbase that this is a special group of players.

Newcastle's best performers vs Benfica

Howe was understandably chuffed with Newcastle’s winning display, now in good standing to continue the push and ascend to the next phase of the Champions League.

At the double was Harvey Barnes, whose clinical edge bore dividends on the evening. And how about that assist from Nick Pope, who continues to show why he deserves to be the number one between the sticks.

He didn’t score, but Nick Woltemade continues to dazzle. The “phenom”, as he was called by reporter Andy Sixsmith, was the connective tissue in attack, with the correspondent saying “his link-up play is mesmerising”.

Isak didn’t hit his stride in the European theatre for Newcastle; his triumph was found on the domestic stage. Alan Shearer remains the modern great in the Champions League for Newcastle, with seven goals from 14 matches for the Tynesiders.

Now, Howe has found his new version of the legendary goalscorer, and no, it’s not Woltemade.

Howe has found Newcastle's new Shearer

Shearer was brilliant at Newcastle, scoring 206 goals and supplying 58 assists across 405 matches.

Woltemade has the talent to rival the Premier League icon down the line, but it’s Anthony Gordon who was the star of the show against Benfica, and he’s proving he could emulate the one-time England international.

Indeed, the 24-year-old is now only two goals behind Shearer as Newcastle’s leading scorer in the Champions League proper, and he has four goals from three games this term alone.

Electric on the ball and ravenous for it back when against the opposition’s play, Gordon has ebbed and flowed this season, but he’s starting to find form at a crucial time, and must now transport it back to the domestic scene.

Shearer’s legacy is a peerless one, but Gordon, signed from Everton for £45m nearly three years ago, is becoming the face of his high-flying project, and his chase for Shearer’s European record is one piece of that evidence.

But Gordon’s actually gone one better in black and white: his goal against the Eagles means he is the first Newcastle player in history to net in three successive Champions League matches for the club.

It was a fantastic performance, a demonstration of Gordon’s elite talent and tenacity. The Chronicle Live gave the Three Lions star a flawless 10/10 match rating, praising his lightning speed and prolificness down the left wing, while Geordie content creators, Mouth of the Tyne, remarked that he was back to his “unplayable best.”

Minutes played

85′

Goals

1

Assists

1

Touches

60

Shots (on target)

4 (1)

Accurate passes

25/35 (71%)

Chances created

1

Crosses

1/4

Dribbles

1/3

Recoveries

8

Tackles won

2/3

Duels won

7/14

Talk about an all-encompassing performance. Gordon might not be an out-and-out striker, but he’s fighting hard to step up and succeed as Newcastle’s attacking talisman.

Alexander Isak may not play for the club anymore, but Newcastle have found a worthy successor in Woltemade, and Gordon is ready to raise his role too.

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ByAngus Sinclair Oct 21, 2025

“Every game we play now is a big lead up opportunity. It’s about filling in the gaps with guys who have left.”

Firdose Moonda02-Dec-2025Temba Bavuma will be back to lead South Africa’s ODI side as they seek to square the series in India but has not confirmed where he will bat while the team continues to tinker with top-order combinations.Bavuma missed the opening match with illness, where South Africa stuck to their new(ish) combination of Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton, with Quinton de Kock at No.3. With the series on the line, they may look to return to the more successful and experienced combination of de Kock and Bavuma at the top, especially given their record. While Markram and Rickelton have opened together in just seven innings, and scored 306 runs at 43.71, de Kock and Bavuma have been South Africa’s second-most prolific opening pair since 2016 with over 1,000 runs together from 19 innings at 56.42, and would appear the better choice.On the eve of match two, Bavuma was non-committal about where he stood in the line-up. “Where I fit in, generally being in that top three, I’m easy whichever way is best for the team, as long as I’m still contributing,” Bavuma said in Raipur, where he also had a long net session, confirming his return to health. “At the moment, it’s about creating depth. There is versatility in that guys who generally bat at the top of their order have used in the middle. In this team, a guy like Matthew Breetzke, who generally sees himself at the top in one-day cricket, but he’s doing that job more than well now at No.4 A guy like Tony (de Zorzi) – he’s getting that opportunity to bat at five.”Related

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In the absence of Heinrich Klaasen (retired), Tristan Stubbs (dropped) and David Miller (not in this ODI squad), South Africa have effectively created a top five out of five different opening batters with Dewald Brevis in at six. The only reserve batter is Rubin Hermann (also a top three batter for the bulk of his List A career) and Bavuma explained their reasoning for stacking the squad with top-order players.”Going back to South Africa, there’s always that element of batsmanship that you need. I know there’s a big craze about guys hitting sixes in the middle order, but you need a little bit of batsmanship. A guy like Tony, he has the characteristics.,” Bavuma said. “I guess now it’s just to keep putting on the performances to justify why he should do that.”De Zorzi has played 21 ODIs for South Africa, scored 688 runs and averages 36.21. He has a strike-rate below 100 and though he is strong against spin, is seen more as someone who can build an innings and rotate strike rather than a big-hitter. It’s that type of player South Africa think they will need, not only in the subcontinent but as they build their resources for the home ODI World Cup in 2027.The tournament is just less than two years away but South Africa will only play, according to the FTP, nine ODIs after this series, all at home. That could change especially as the FTP only runs to April 2027 and the World Cup will be held in October but the time to experiment is now, which is exactly what South Africa are doing.”Every game we play now is a big lead up opportunity. It’s about filling in the gaps with guys who have left,” Bavuma said. “Especially from a resource point of view, we want to make sure if we do have a situation where one of our main bowlers is out that we do have young guys to step in. We’re seeing guys like Nandre Burger, they are putting up their hands. So creating depth and then seeing where guys can be filling in those roles.”Bavuma feels Matthew Breetzke is pulling his weight and more at No.4•BCCIWith Kagiso Rabada out of the series. Burger led the attack in the first match with support from three other seamers: Ottneil Baartman, Corbin Bosch and Marco Jansen. South Africa also have Lungi Ngidi, who is certain to play a role at some stage, in the squad, but for now, seem to be leaning more towards allrounders. Bosch and Jansen were both crucial in South Africa’s attempt to chase 350 in Ranchi and could keep their places as the series goes on. Jansen, in particular, has had a coming of age tour of India, and has made himself central to South Africa’s XI in all formats. Expect to see much more of him in this series.”I don’t know where the rankings sit but I’m sure Marco Jansen in any one of those formats will definitely be in the top 10. His contributions with the bat, with the ball, sometimes even both, have been immense to our success. Marco is still a young guy but he’s had a lot of international cricket that is under his belt and he’s only growing into his own and he’s becoming a lot more comfortable in his skin.”Currently, Jansen, who scored 93 and took seven wickets in the Guwahati Test, is sixth on the ICC’s Test allrounder rankings but 35th on the ODI list. His returns in Ranchi, where he scored a 39-ball 70 and took 2 for 76, could be the start of his climb up the charts.

Heather Graham helped send Hobart Hurricanes two wins clear at the top of the WBBL table, leading them to a rain-marred six-wicket win over Melbourne Renegades.Initially set 156 by the second-placed Renegades, Hurricanes’ innings was delayed twice by rain and lightning before they reached an adjusted target of 106 with an over to spare.Graham was the star of the show, bagging 3 for 23 with the ball to halt Renegades’ momentum before striking a crucial unbeaten 14 in the chase at North Sydney Oval. Nicola Carey also struck 39 from 29 balls for Hurricanes, while Elyse Villani hit 12 runs from four balls to seal the match.One of only two clubs not to have lifted the WBBL, Hurricanes are now five-from-five to start the season with their batting firing.”We’ve got real clarity about us,” captain Villani said. “We have lots of options with bat and ball so we’re spoiled for choice. And I don’t think anyone feels like it is solely up to them, so it’s a real shared load.”Earlier a bizarre missed run-out had threatened to sink Hurricanes, after Georgia Wareham’s 41 from 26 balls rescued the defending-champions Renegades from 23 for 3.Wareham was initially given run-out for six, only for Hurricanes wicketkeeper Lizelle Lee to concede she had dropped the ball. Wareham then took control of the innings in a 56-run fourth-wicket stand with England’s Alice Capsey (37). The pair hit 39 in the two-over power surge, with Wareham cutting and pulling four boundaries and a six off the first five balls of a Hayley Silver-Holmes over.But when Wareham skied the last ball of Silver-Holmes’ over and was caught, Renegades failed to post the total they should have.

The incident happened when the batter hit an equipment hear the dressing room with his bat after being dismissed

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Oct-2025Afghanistan batter Ibrahim Zadran has been fined 15% of his match fee and handed a demerit point for breaching the ICC’s code of conduct during their third ODI against Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi on October 14.The incident happened during the 37th over of Afghanistan’s innings when Zadran hit an equipment near the dressing room with his bat after being dismissed for 95 off 111 balls. This was Zadran’s second successive dismissal in the 90s. In the second ODI, too, he was out for 95.This meant a breach of Article 2.2 of the ICC code of conduct for players and player support personnel, which relates to “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an international match”.Related

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Since Zadran admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Graeme Labrooy, there was no need for a formal hearing.This was Zadran’s first offence in a 24-month period. When a player reaches four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, they are converted into suspension points and a player is banned. Two suspension points equate to a ban from one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is – whatever comes first for the player.Zadran’s innings was central to Afghanistan sweeping Bangladesh 3-0 in the ODI series.

قالت تقارير صحفية إن هيثم حسن نجم ريال أوفييدو الإسباني قد تغيرت قيمته التسويقية في عام 2025 مقارنة بالصيف الماضي 2024.

ونشرت صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية نقلاً عن “Transfermarkt” أن قيمة النجم المصري قد ارتفعت منذ انضمامه إلى ريال أوفييدو من مليوني يورو عند انضمامه في صيف 2024 إلى خمسة ملايين يورو.

وازدادت قيمة النجم المصري أكثر من أي لاعب آخر منذ صعود ريال أوفييدو لمسابقة الدوري الاسباني، وكان ناديه قد رفض عرضاً بقيمة 6 ملايين يورو للجناح صاحب القميص رقم 10 خلال سوق الانتقالات الأخيرة.

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وكان ريال أوفييدو قد دفع 1.5 مليون يورو إلى فياريال مقابل الحصول على خدمات هيثم حسن بعد عام على سبيل الإعارة قضاه في سبورتينج.

ووقع هيثم حسن عقدا لمدة ثلاث سنوات مع ريال أوفييدو ويمتلك شرطا جزائيا في الوقت الحالي يبلغ 10 ملايين يورو، وأصبح أحد أنجح التعاقدات في السنوات الأخيرة.

وكان هيثم حسن قد انضم إلى ريال أوفييدو بعد تصميم من مالك النادي خيسوس مارتينيز الذي وقع في حب النجم المصري قبل موسمين لتعزيز مركز الجناح الأيمن، وقد بذل جهداً كبيراً للحصول على خدماته ومع ذلك لا يعد حسن أغلى لاعب في اوفييدو حيث يمتلك لاعبان قيمة أعلى منه على الرغم من أنهما معاران لصفوف النادي الاسباني حالياً وهما ديفيد كارمو بقيمة 10 ملايين يورو وخافي لوبيز بقيمة 7.5 مليون يورو.

Unbeaten 70 from Australian opener proves decisive as Welsh Fire fall short of famous comeback

ECB Media09-Aug-2025

David Warner made his first half-century in the Hundred to see London Spirit take the spoils against Welsh Fire in Cardiff, despite a thrilling, unbeaten 86 from Jonny Bairstow in response.Like a boxer on the ropes, Bairstow sat back and absorbed the blows as his Fire team fell to 55 for 6 at the halfway point of their reply, before launching a high-octane counterattack that took them close to a famous victory.Bairstow’s 50-ball innings contained six sixes, and saw 74 runs plundered from balls 66 to 95, leaving 17 required off the last five of the innings. As the Sophia Gardens crowd belted out “Wales, Wales, Wales!” it appeared that Bairstow – ably supported by Chris Green – would pull off the comeback but Luke Wood got Spirit over the line.Warner’s innings was a different affair, but was equally effective in driving the visitors – the Australian legend using his experience and nous to work out a defendable total on a track that had something for the bowlers.David Warner made his first fifty of the Hundred•Getty Images

With the ball, before the Bairstow show, Liam Dawson and Richard Gleeson were both parsimonious and though they may briefly have feared that their hard work would be undone it was runs on the board that emerged victorious in the end, Kane Williamson and Justin Langer getting off and running and consigning Fire to a second defeat in two.Warner, the Meerkat Match Hero, said: “That got very close at the end, and credit to the way Jonny and Greeny batted. They were absolutely superb. The partnership they built was fantastic, and what it did do was what we’re trying to do here – entertain the crowd and hopefully everyone was excited by that game.”I think what the guys were saying there was that across the last 25-30 balls it wasn’t that stoppy. It skidded, but it was still slow in the wicket. We tried to execute as well as we could but Jonny was on fire there, he was hitting the ball cleanly and obviously we got over the line but it was a good effort by them.”When you’re out there batting, the five balls and then 10 balls from one end – you think you have to change ends as a batter. I’m getting used to it, but what I am loving is the crowds. It’s fantastic. It’s all about the kids, and us trying to put entertainment on the TV – credit to everyone who came out today, thank you.”This is a really important win for us. We lost our first game at home but we’ve got an away game in Manchester coming up, and hopefully we can tick that off.”

Elland Road has been home to many Leeds United greats over the years.

Even when the Whites weren’t competing in the Premier League, there were a handful of top stars always entertaining the West Yorkshire masses, with names such as Luciano Becchio and Pablo Hernandez sticking out, among many others.

Of course, the current crop is beloved in their own right, having just lifted the Championship title on a mammoth points haul of 100 points.

But, they have some catching up to do in the daunting environment of the Premier League to be seen in the same glowing light as some past top-flight icons at Leeds, with Lucas Radebe still viewed as an all-time hero, twenty years on from his final outing for the club.

Radebe's heroics at Leeds

Costing just £250k to obtain in 1994 from South African side Kaizer Chiefs, not many would have anticipated that many years down the line, Radebe would end up being Leeds’ formidable captain in the Champions League against the likes of AC Milan.

Still, despite a slow beginning to life at Elland Road, which saw him make just 12 appearances for the club during his debut season, the no-nonsense number 5 would eventually leave a lasting mark on the Leeds faithful, with Radebe going on to be affectionately known as “The Chief” for his warrior-like showings.

Starting his really early playing days as a goalkeeper, Radebe would ultimately find his calling in England as a tough and bruising centre-back figure, with ex-Leeds teammate Nigel Martyn referring to him as a “fierce competitor” when glowingly recalling his career in 2021.

Further lauded as an “absolute legend” by Martyn, the 70-time South Africa international’s vital importance to the Leeds cause is clear to see when looking back on his long-standing stay at the club, with 260 appearances picked up by Radebe across ten seasons, even seeing the Whites get near to Champions League glory at the turn of the millennium.

Unfortunately, persistent knee problems would see his minutes deplete by the close of those ten long campaigns, but with Radebe recently being unveiled as a new club ambassador, it’s clear he’s still held in high regard to this very day.

Amazingly, Daniel Farke could well have a Radebe-type player on his hands right now.

Farke's own Radebe-type star

Since Radebe hung up his boots, there haven’t been an overflowing amount of standout number fives who have pulled on that famous number, with Ben White one notable name, among transfer misfires such as Robin Koch and Giuseppe Bellusci.

Instead, it could well be Leeds’ current number 6 that embodies Radebe most closely in Joe Rodon, with the Welshman very much a full-blooded presence for Farke and Co, in the same vein as the South African before him.

He has even used his aerial expertise this season to power home a header versus AFC Bournemouth at the end of September, with the Swansea-born “warrior” – as he has been labelled by his manager – only one goal shy of Radebe’s goal count.

But, it’s his overall numbers in a defensive sense that put him even more on the same pedestal as the feared former number 5, with Rodon routinely putting his body on the line and coming up clutch in crunch moments to ensure his side isn’t breached at will.

Rodon has undoubtedly become as crucial for Farke as Radebe was for the litany of managers he worked alongside at Elland Road, with the 27-year-old collecting a mightily impressive 44 clean sheets across three seasons of league action.

Yet, he hasn’t always had it his own way at Leeds, with the disappointment of promotion falling through at the close of the 2023/24 season meaning he could have walked away from West Yorkshire for good, having only been at the club on loan.

He opted to join permanently for £10m instead and in the words of journalist Isaac Johnson, he has since gone on to be in the debate as Farke’s “most important player.”

It will now be up to the resilient defender to steer his side to immediate Premier League safety, with the potential very much there for him to be known as a top-flight great, much like Radebe is forever immortalised as.

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